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Joel Hanley Placed On Waivers

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Tuesday: Hanley has cleared waivers and can be assigned to the minor leagues.

Monday: With several defensemen approaching a return from injury, the Dallas Stars have placed Joel Hanley on waivers. That’s according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, who also reports that Max McCormick of the Ottawa Senators has cleared. McCormick was subsequently assigned to the minor leagues.

Hanley, 27, is no more than a seventh defenseman for the Stars, playing in 15 games this season but seeing relatively little ice time. The undrafted UMass-Amherst graduate has suited up 37 times in the NHL between the Montreal Canadiens, Arizona Coyotes and Stars, while recording six points. None of those points have come since the start of the 2016-17 season, and Hanley is still looking for his first NHL goal.

With a two-way contract that brings just a $650K cap hit at the NHL level there may be some interest in Hanley, but the likely outcome is his assignment to the Texas Stars of the AHL. The veteran will serve as some help to that group while being able to come back up to Dallas at a moment’s notice. Connor Carrick, John Klingberg and Stephen Johns meanwhile will continue their recovery, and likely get into the lineup over the next few weeks. All three were present at practice this morning, though Klingberg is the only one facing an imminent return. Marc Methot, also dealing with an injury, still has no timetable for return according to Sean Shapiro of The Athletic.

Minor Transactions: 12/18/18

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Yesterday showed just how much parity there is in the NHL these days, as teams like the Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders upset dominant Western Conference teams. Tonight 22 teams take the ice in a busy Tuesday to try and get in one last win before tomorrow’s holiday trade freeze. As we approach that deadline, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves made around the league.

  • Those Ottawa Senators have made a move to send Drake Batherson back to the minor league after their win last night. Batherson played just 9:24 in the win over the Nashville Predators, though did record a powerplay assist. The 20-year old forward has a bright future in Ottawa, but with the team off until Friday he will spend some time in the AHL.
  • After their 4-0 pummeling at the hands of the Boston Bruins, the Montreal Canadiens also made a move involving a young player. Victor Mete has been recalled by the team from the AHL, while Noah Juulsen is on his way back to the minor leagues. Mete will travel with the team to Colorado where they play tomorrow night.
  • Jean-Sebastien Dea is on his way back to the AHL, re-assigned by the Pittsburgh Penguins today. Dea has played sparingly for Pittsburgh since being reclaimed on waivers earlier this season, and has just six points on the season. The 24-year old winger will try to get his offense going with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
  • With the team finally approaching full health, including Zdeno Chara returning to practice, the Boston Bruins have opted to send rookie defenseman Jeremy Lauzon back to the AHL, the team announced. Lauzon played well in 15 games in Boston, especially considering that injuries pressed him into a top-four role for several games. However, Lauzon hasn’t played in nearly two weeks as the likes of Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo returned to the lineup and is in need of game action. Lauzon should return to a top spot for the Providence Bruins and will likely be Boston’s next man up on the blue line while Kevan Miller and Urho Vaakanainen remain sidelined.
  • The Toronto Marlies have added another veteran to their roster, at least for now, announcing that they have signed Tom Sestito to a PTO. The hulking forward has spent the past few seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins and their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, but was unsigned this off-season. Sestito, 31, has shown to be capable of modest offense at the minor league level, in addition to his undeniable checking ability, and hopes to earn a contract with the Marlies by displaying both sides of his well-established game.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Ottawa Senators

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads past the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. Let’s take a look at what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Ottawa Senators.  Click here for the other articles in this series. 

What are the Senators most thankful for?

Not being dead last. Most experts as well as fans had the Senators picked as the worst team in the league and with all the offseason turmoil coming from issues surrounding Erik Karlsson as well as locker room issues, the team was being viewed as a laughing stock. Throw in the fact that the team traded away their first-round pick to Colorado in the Matt Duchene trade and things were looking even worse. While the team isn’t in the playoff hunt, the Senators have been respectable on the ice and considering that they have opted to rebuild their team, 14-16-4 record, which could be a lot worse.

Who are the Senators most thankful for?

After almost an entire year of Erik Karlsson rumors, the team finally unloaded their superstar defenseman in a deal with San Jose. Many felt that loss would destroy the team, but second-year defenseman Thomas Chabot has been nothing, if not remarkable. The 21-year-old has already surpassed his offensive totals from last year when he posted 25 points in 63 games. This year, Chabot has already reached 35 points in 34 games and is tied for first in the NHL in points along with Toronto’s Morgan Rielly and Washington’s John Carlson.

This development has made the transition away from Karlsson, who hasn’t taken off yet in San Jose, much easier for Ottawa fans as Chabot is starting to just scratch the surface to his skills in Ottawa. For a young team with very few veteran players, to have a defenseman averaging a point a game is a big deal.

What would the Senators be even more thankful for?

The team needs even more offense and while many of their young players have had some success already, the Senators are a team loaded in young talent. If the team could get some of those players to take that next step, the team would be far better off. The team have gotten some success from both Brady Tkuchuk and Colin White as both players have nine goals already. Surprise defenseman Max Lajoie is another rookie who has already posted six goals and 12 points. However, the team needs others to step up, including Drake Batherson who has seven points in 16 games so far. However, the team needs some of the top prospects in Belleville to take that next step at some point as well, including players like Rudolfs Balcers, Filip Chlapik and Logan Brown.

What should be on the Senators Holiday Wish List?

More than anything, the Senators need some clarity with some of their veteran players. The team has a number of pending unrestricted free agents in Duchene, Mark Stone and to a lesser extent Ryan Dzingel, and the last thing this franchise needs is for those players to walk away in free agency and leave the team with nothing. Unfortunately, no players have given a solid indication that they intend to return and if the team can’t come to terms on an extension with any of them before the trade deadline, they need to move them. Both Duchene and Stone have been impressive this year, so the team should get significant returns for those two if they are forced to trade them, but the team has to hope they can sign one of these players and begin to build this franchise up from there. Another firesale isn’t going to make the franchise look any better.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Ottawa Places Max McCormick On Waivers

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With a number of players coming back from injury, the Ottawa Senators have decided to make some room on their roster as they placed winger Max McCormick on waivers, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

McCormick didn’t get much playing time with the Senators as he has only appeared in 14 games this season. Even when he did, Senators head coach Guy Boucher wasn’t big on handing him much playing time as he averaged just 7:30 of ATOI this season. He did play in the three recent games (albeit not the previous two) and got even less time as he averaged under six minutes a game. He has one goal this season.

The forward could be a cheap option for another team, although it would seem unlikely any team would want to take a chance on him. McCormick does make just the minimum $650K and will be an unrestricted free agent after this year. He played 30 games with Ottawa last season, producing three goals and five points.

Minor Transactions: 12/16/18

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Alex Ovechkin scored again for the Washington Capitals last night, his seventh goal in his last three games and likely a spot on the Three Stars list this week. The superstar forward now has 29 goals in 32 games this season and is setting new career highs of one sort or another nearly every night. Now 33, Ovechkin sits 15th all-time in NHL goals and could very well pass Dave Andreychuk in the next few games. While we wait to see his next trick, stick right here to follow all the minor moves around the league.

  • The New York Rangers recalled Boo Nieves last night in preparation of their afternoon tilt with the Vegas Golden Knights today. Nieves has seven points in 12 games for the Hartford Wolf Pack, but has yet to make his NHL debut this season. The 24-year old has just 29 games under his belt at this level and is still looking for a real opportunity to show what made him a second-round pick in 2012.
  • After the team’s 4-3 overtime loss to Vegas Sunday, the Rangers made more moves as they announced they have recalled goaltender Alexandar Georgiev from the Hartford Wolf Pack, while assigning Matt Beleskey and Dustin Tokarski to the AHL team. Georgiev has split time between the Rangers and Hartford, but the 22-year-old has struggled in both places so far this year. Beleskey has appeared in four games this month and has a goal, while Tokarski has yet to make an appearance for the Rangers this season.
  • The Ottawa Senators announced they have assigned defenseman Erik Burgdoerfer and Stefan Elliott to the Belleville Senators of the AHL. That likely suggests that Ottawa is close to getting back Mark Borowiecki and/or Dylan DeMelo back from injury. Burgdoerfer appeared in three games on this callup, while Elliott appeared in two games and had an assist.
  • After the team’s 3-0 victory over Arizona today, the Carolina Hurricanes have assigned three players to the AHL as the team announced that goaltender Scott Darling and forwards Clark Bishop and Janne Kuokkanen have been returned to the Charlotte Checkers. With Carolina not playing again until Thursday, the team may just be giving playing time to all three, although the team might also have the hope that Micheal Ferland, Jordan Staal and Curtis McElhinney might all be healthy enough to play then.
  • The Minnesota Wild have returned winger Luke Kunin to Iowa of the AHL, per the AHL’s Transactions Page.  He played in three games with Minnesota after being recalled earlier in the week, averaging just shy of 13 minutes per night of playing time.  However, with both Mikko Koivu and Jason Zucker expected to return on Tuesday, there’s no longer a spot in the lineup for Kunin.  He’ll return to Iowa where he sits fifth in scoring with 15 points in 21 games.

Christian Jaros Expected To Remain With Ottawa For The Rest Of The Season

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  • It appears that Senators defenseman Christian Jaros will be staying up for the rest of the season as he indicated to Craig Medaglia of the teams’ website that he has been told to find a more permanent place to stay and move out of the hotel he had been staying at since being recalled in October. The 22-year-old has been with Ottawa for most of the season, playing in 23 games thus far while averaging a little over 13 minutes a night on their third pairing.

Snapshots: Blues, Formenton, Predators

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When things aren’t going well for an NHL franchise with big expectations, you can almost see the vultures—that is, other general managers—circling. That’s what appears to be happening in St. Louis, where the Blues find themselves constantly in the rumor mill these days. After another mention yesterday of the potential availability of Alex Pietrangelo (who underwent hand surgery today but didn’t see his recovery timeline change) the latest news comes as a little reprieve for Blues fans who don’t want to see their team blown up.

On NBCSN, hockey insider Darren Dreger explained that he doesn’t believe the Blues will move a big chunk of their young core though will listen on “just about anything else.” Dreger only mentions Jaden Schwartz as part of that core, and doesn’t address directly the rumors around Pietrangelo and Vladimir Tarasenko. There’s still plenty to like about the St. Louis depth chart, especially given the young group of forwards including Robert Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, Ivan Barbashev, Klim Kostin and Sammy Blais who all look like they will contribute in the NHL for a long time. If a big move does come, it won’t necessarily set the Blues back very far.

  • Alex Formenton suffered an injury in yesterday’s exhibition game at the World Junior selection camp, and today was seen by TSN’s Bob McKenzie on crutches and wearing a knee brace. The team told McKenzie that it was just precautionary, but Formenton’s inclusion on the tournament roster is obviously in jeopardy. The Ottawa Senators prospect was expected to play a huge role and use his speed and experience to give Canada an edge against an excellent international field, but will have to show he’s healthy enough to compete before the team sends home his potential replacements.
  • While Kyle Turris is expected to return for the Nashville Predators tonight, news isn’t nearly as good on his fellow injured forwards. GM David Poile told ESPN radio that Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson will still be out for another three weeks. Nashville lost their top seed in the Western Conference last night after the Calgary Flames came from behind to win against the Philadelphia Flyers, and are in a dog fight with the Winnipeg Jets and Colorado Avalanche for the Central Division lead. Getting two of their top forwards back would be a huge boost for the club as they search for a little more consistency during the winter months.

Minor Transactions: 12/12/18

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There has already been quite a few moves this morning from teams welcoming back or saying goodbye to key players, but with the NHL heading towards the middle of the season there will be many more. As always we’re here to keep track of all the minor moves:

  • The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled Dylan Sikura and Carl Dahlstrom from the minor leagues while assigning Alexandre Fortin to the Rockford IceHogs. The team also placed Artem Anisimov on injured reserve while he deals with a concussion. Sikura, a standout at Northeastern University over the last several seasons, is off to a great start in his rookie season in the AHL, scoring 18 points in 26 games.
  • Rourke Chartier is on his way back up to the San Jose Sharks, recalled today from the AHL. The 22-year old forward has played 13 games for the Sharks this season, recording his first NHL goal but failing to register another point. The fifth-round pick has found some early success in the minor leagues, but will have to continue to prove himself if he wants a full-time role in the NHL.
  • Jordan Kyrou has been assigned to the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage, leaving the St. Louis Blues after a short call-up. Kyrou, a top prospect in the Blues’ system, has yet to prove that he belongs at the highest level despite some prime opportunities. The young forward will continue his development in the AHL for the time being, while St. Louis gets Jaden Schwartz back into the lineup.
  • The Los Angeles Kings have moved Alec Martinez to injured reserve, while recalling Daniel Brickley from the minor leagues. Brickley signed as an undrafted free agent out of Minnesota State University-Mankato last spring, has just 22 professional games under his belt so far, all but one coming at the minor league level. The 6’3″ defenseman needed an opportunity to show what he could do at the NHL level, and Martinez’ injury may just be that chance.
  • Paul Carey is on his way down to the AHL, as the Ottawa Senators announced that they have reassigned the veteran to Belleville. The free agent addition was only recalled on Sunday and did not see the ice with the Sens. Carey has only five NHL games to his credit this season, all back in October, and no points to show for it either. The two-way forward has been close to a point-per-game player for Belleville in 20 games, but Ottawa seems hesitant to give him much of an opportunity just yet.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets will take another look at veteran forward Zac Dalpe, who they have recalled from the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. Dalpe has been with the club for more than two years and played in twelve games with Columbus last year, but has only one NHL appearance so far this season. Dalpe has been remarkably productive in Cleveland, with 25 points in 24 games, but has struggled to translate his production to the top level throughout his nine year career. The Blue Jackets will see if he can be more than just a body on this most recent promotion.
  • After adding Chad Johnson on waivers, the Anaheim Ducks have sent goalie Jared Coreau back to the AHL, the team announced. In exchange, they have called up rookie defenseman Josh Mahura from the San Diego Gulls. Mahura has already logged six games with the Ducks in his first pro season and could see more opportunity on this latest recall.

Snapshots: Nielsen, Ferland, Senators

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With Seattle being officially announced as the upcoming 32nd franchise in the NHL, teams are already starting to prepare for an upcoming expansion draft. While the Vegas Golden Knights will be exempt from the draft, June 2021 will be a focus for all other 30 teams. One of the most notable rules as we move towards the process is the one surrounding no-movement clauses and their automation protection. Teams’ ability to protect their young skaters will hamstrung by these clauses, and could force them into a trade with Seattle.

The Detroit Red Wings were one of these teams, as it appeared that Frans Nielsen had a no-movement clause that would force protection despite him nearing the end of his playing career by the time the draft rolls around. CapFriendly today reported that they had been mistaken previously when listing Nielsen with that clause, as it actually expired at the end of last season. Nielsen now only holds a modified no-trade clause, which does not have the same restrictions in the draft process.

  • Micheal Ferland has been activated by the Carolina Hurricanes, as he has fully recovered from his recent concussion. The forward still leads the Hurricanes in goals this season despite his four-game absence, and will try to step right back into the top-six role he’d shown the aptitude for. The physical, skilled forward is the only player on Carolina with double digit goals this season, something they’ve sorely lacked all year. Ferland is also a pending unrestricted free agent that carries just a $1.75MM cap hit this season, and will be very appealing to many teams at the deadline if Carolina drops out of the race.
  • Ian Mendes of TSN recently looked at the history of eight-year extensions and when they were usually signed, noting that the Ottawa Senators are approaching “uncharted territory” if they still intend on signing long-term deals with Matt Duchene and Mark Stone. Both players are pending unrestricted free agents and could very well be among the highest-paid players on July 1st. The Senators meanwhile will have to consider long and hard on whether they want to hand out huge extensions during the very early stages of their current rebuild.

Minor Transactions: 12/10/18

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It’s a quiet Monday in the NHL with only four games scheduled for this evening, though it does feature a big matchup between the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders. After starting the season very poorly, the Penguins have been slowly turning things around and could leapfrog the Islanders with a win and take over third place in the Metropolitan Division (pending the outcome of the New York Rangers game, of course). That division looks like it will be a dog fight until the very end, with only 11 points separating first and last place at the moment. As teams prepare for this week, we’ll be here tracking all the minor moves.

  • The Ottawa Senators have recalled Stefan Elliott and Paul Carey from the minor leagues, while moving, according to CapFriendly, Dylan DeMelo to injured reserve. The team acquired Elliott earlier this month in a deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and will now give him an early chance at the NHL level. The 27-year old defenseman would be playing in his first game since the 2015-16 season should Ottawa insert him into the lineup.
  • Vegas Golden Knights forward Reid Duke has been returned to the minor leagues, after failing to get into a game with the NHL squad. The very first player under contract in franchise history, Duke is still waiting for an opportunity to show what he can do at the highest level. The 22-year old forward has 13 points in 22 games with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL, and will return to them to continue his development.
  • Despite still being under suspension, the Calgary Flames have recalled Ryan Lomberg from the minor leagues while sending Rinat Valiev and Anthony Peluso back down. Lomberg still needs to serve a one-game suspension for initiating a line change with the intent of instigating a fight, because he was in the minor leagues when the Flames took on the Edmonton Oilers on last night.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have sent Joshua Mahura and Andy Welinski to the minor leagues, while recalling Andrej Sustr and goaltender Jared Coreau. There hasn’t been an update on Ryan Miller’s recently sustained injury, but Coreau’s presence likely means the veteran netminder will miss at least some time. Coreau played seven games for the Ducks last season.

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